Glass
by Melancholy and Contradictions
Summary: Pitch has returned and is harnessing Nightmares of unimaginable power. As Jack encounters a summer spirit who can do much more than she is aware of, situations get tense as he juggles his duties of Guardianship and the Spirit of Winter. When Pitch has her in his grasp, how far will Jack go to save her? Is it worth his life? Jack/OC T for violence,gore - Cover Credit to Mimint on DA
1. The Impossible

_Jack Frost…_

Oh, how her heart melted at the sound of his name. She relished the sweet taste of it on her tongue, the way it sent shivers down her spine, and if she could she would never stop saying it. She spent much of her time day dreaming of him, of the moment they would finally meet, and of their lives afterwards…

Well, she could hope and dream right? She shook her head, _"Don't be stupid,"_ she scolded herself. After all, how would a summer spirit like her, Scarlet Embers, ever meet Jack Frost? She'd only ever seen glimpses of him, a silhouette in the moon, or a shadow in the trees; only ever heard stories about him, Jack Frost, the _myth_. But she knew he was more than just a myth. There was so much _more._ A person just needed to take the time to see it.

Though she'd never laid eyes upon him for more than mere seconds, she saw everything worth knowing in his creations. She watched as rain arranged into unique conglomerations of ice, forming snowflakes as they fell from the clouds in the sky, and the detailed frost patterns that decorated windows in their fern-like patterns. In his presence every pond, puddle, and lake outside would freeze to perfection, and the world would be covered, tucked away into bed under a thick blanket of snow. As the earth slept, Jack Frost remained vigilant, keeping an eye out for trouble before it could fester and grow into something more than he could handle on his own.

She sighed and let her thoughts drift off as she leaned back in the pine tree she perched in. _"Why do I have to be a summer spirit?"_ she mused. She knew that this fantasy of hers would never come true. They were opposites, never meant to be. Dreaming, hoping for such a thing was pointless. That didn't stop her though.

Bright, golden light scattered her thoughts and she sat up suddenly, observing the sand that traveled on the air currents. Scarlet smiled, _"Right on time, Sandman."_

She saw the golden cloud in the sky, and the little guardian upon it. Jumping out of her tree, Scarlet slowly made her way to him. This was her one unique talent that put her aside from the other summer spirits. She could heat the air beneath her and ride it like a platform. Granted it wasn't as graceful or acrobatic like riding the wind as Jack did, but it was similar and she was thrilled to know that they had something in common.

"Hi, Sandy!" she called to him as she waved. The little guardian turned and his eyes widened in surprise. He smiled and waved back.

"How are you?" Scarlet asked, almost regretting it as a plethora of sand figures rapidly flashed above Sandy's head. She sighed, and simply nodded when he finished, hoping that it was an appropriate response.

_"How are you?"_ he asked in return as he made a question mark and pointed to her.

"Oh I'm fine!" she said with a grin, "I'm so excited for winter. Have you heard from Jack lately? Do you think I'll see him this year?" she inquired gleefully.

Sandy laughed silently and nodded, _"Such an odd summer spirit,"_ he mused.

Scarlet squealed at his answer, twirling around his cloud in a fit of pure happiness.

She definitely was an odd summer spirit. Ever since she caused the massive drought during the 1930's she had been different. Her "friends" had shunned her, telling her that she was a disgrace of summer and that she belonged in a desert, or at the bottom of a volcano. They turned cynical, and after a number of acrimonious remarks Scarlet had had enough. So she flew away on a patch of heated air at the mercy of the wind.

She was brought to a quaint little forest where she kept to herself for the next few decades. Scarlet had taken a liking to climbing trees and had spent many days simply hiding behind the lush green leaves, afraid to go out and cause another horrific drought. It took her many years to emerge from her shell, and eventually she was back to her normal, outgoing self.

His laugh, carried by the wind, was what finally shook her from the melancholy that hovered over her like a rain cloud. It had startled Scarlet, so much that she had fallen out of her pine tree and into a snow bank with a sizzle as it melted at her touch. She was stunned and looked up at the moon just in time to see his silhouette before he flew away.

"Who the heck was that?" she had asked to no one in particular.

_"Jack Frost…"_ the wind had answered, whispering into her ear.

From that moment on, Scarlet became determined to meet him. She ventured farther from the safety of the forest and out into the town beside it, going from house to house to add warmth to the fires through the chimneys during winter instead of leaving when her season was over.

She preferred winter. It was a time where she couldn't cause forest fires just by sneezing and the worst she could do was make it rain. She had begged MiM to change her season, to become a winter spirit like Jack. From what she had gathered from the other spirits, he was the only one for winter. The fact that he doubled for a guardian astounded her as well.

Scarlet was shaken from her reverie as Sandy waved a hand in front of her face, and she shook her head to clear it.

"I'm sure you're busy making dreams and all so I'm going to go and let you work. It's been nice talking Sandy!" and she lowered herself down to the ground as Sandy waved goodbye, heading for the other side of town.

As she started her descent, a strong gust of wind knocked her off her patch of heated air and Scarlet fell with a shriek before landing harshly inside a chimney. She groaned, stuffed within the cramped space and after what seemed like an eternity of struggling, Scarlet managed to get her arms above her head to pull herself up.

_"I need to practice flying more,"_ she grumbled as she managed to finally get her head above the chimney's opening. What she saw nearly made her loose her grip.

A tuft of silver white hair was inches from her fingertips and she froze, not knowing what to do in such a situation. She heard him sigh, and shrank back as he stood. His staff held firmly in his hand and he tapped it absent-mindedly on the roof. Frost blossomed each time the staff made contact with it and soon the whole roof was slick with ice. Jack stared up at the full moon, and Scarlet saw how exhausted he looked. Dark rings were under his sunken eyes and he leaned heavily on his staff.

"A-are you alright?" Scarlet asked, her voice strained as she changed her grip to make it easier to shimmy out of the chimney.

Jack jumped at the sudden intrusion of her voice and turned his gaze to her. Seeing her predicament, he promptly surged forwards and held his staff before her.

"I should be asking you that! Grab on."

Despite his weary appearance, Jack's strength did not wane as he pulled her out and she nodded her thanks. As soon as she was freed from the chimney, Scarlet hastily brushed off the soot that clung to her clothes before composing herself. When she brought her eyes up, though, she found that she was at a loss for words.

Her eyes widened, pupils dilating and her breath caught in her throat. Scarlet studied him, his hair in all its windswept glory, his face exhausted but kind and his eyes so blue that the sky was nothing in comparison. His thin lips were pressed together lightly, as if in thought and Jack towered over her, despite his tired demeanor that made his shoulders sag.

There was no doubt that she had a serious infatuation with him, and it took her a moment to work up the courage to speak.

"Thanks for that. I'm not great at flying," she explained bashfully, unsure of what else to say. Her heart thudded quickly in her chest and she grew nervous, _"Brilliant first impression you moron,"_ she scolded herself.

Jack raised his eyebrows, "You fly?"

Scarlet shrugged, "Not as well as you can. I can't ride the wind but I can float well enough," she said. To prove her point she levitated a few feet and landed quickly before the wind could push her off again.

"Impressive," Jack remarked, a ghost of a smile toyed with the corners of his lips, "I take it you're not human then."

She grinned, "Nope. Just a summer spirit."

Scarlet studied him noticing that, although his eyes seemed tired, they still retained their mischievous twinkle in the moonlight and she saw a deep curiosity within them. He slouched as well, leaning against his staff for support as he did before.

"Are you alright?" she asked again.

"Yeah, just a bit tired is all," he quipped, "What's your name?"

"Scarlet. Scarlet Embers," she muttered, suddenly fascinated with the puddle she stood in as her feet melted the ice.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm-"

"Oh I know you, Jack Frost," she interrupted, her grin widened.

"Do you now?" he asked with a genuine smile this time, "I didn't prank you did I?"

At this, Scarlet laughed, "Thank MiM no, but I've seen you flying around."

She felt her heart soar within her chest. She was talking to Jack. _The_ Jack Frost! No one in the world could possibly fathom how happy she was currently. After ages of waiting for this moment, this impossibility to happen, it finally had.

"Shouldn't you be in a warmer climate?" he asked suddenly as his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I like winter," she replied, and Scarlet felt the blush reaching her cheeks.

"It is the best season," Jack quipped with a wink and a broad grin.

She nodded enthusiastically "To be honest I've been trying to meet you," Scarlet muttered, and she bravely met his gaze.

"Me?" he replied incredulously, his eyes widened with wonder, "Oh I'm not that interesting, am I?"

She smiled, unsure of how to respond to the question. Scarlet didn't want to scare him off by blurting out a confession, _"Play it cool Scarlet,"_ and she chanted this mantra a few times before continuing.

"Well of course. You're the only spirit for winter and a guardian to boot. I'm pretty fascinated with your ability to keep up with both."

He chuckled, "It's not easy."

Jack averted his gaze as he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. When he looked back at her his eyes widened and focused on something over her shoulder as he crouched down in a battle ready position.

"Don't. Move," he breathed, and he held his staff with both hands.

She stiffened and could do nothing but listen to him. As silence fell between the two spirits, Scarlet became aware of the quiet breathing of a beast that emanated behind her.

A Nightmare.


	2. Contact

She hardly dared to breathe in fear of provoking it, and her eyes never left Jack.

"Don't worry, alright?" he said calmly as he slowly made his way towards the Nightmare. Before he could make a move, though, it flew past Scarlet with frightening speed and ferocity. Unlike the normal Nightmares in the form of a horse, this fiend was twice as large and had components of several creatures. A beast that Jack had never imagined could ever become a reality.

It pounced on him, pinning the winter spirit to the roof with a paw armed with sharp, piercing claws. One dug deep into his shoulder and another embedded in his arm.

"Don't be scared! You'll only feed it if you're scared!" he called as he pointed his staff at its chest and blasted it with ice. This only enraged it further, and it tossed Jack over the edge of the roof before beginning the chase.

Scarlet ran and peered over the edge and saw Jack take flight before he could hit the ground.

"Go back to the forest! Find the frozen lake, I'll meet you there!" he yelled over his shoulder, the beast close on his heels.

_"Frozen lake?"_ she wondered. Scarlet had been in many parts of the forest but she had never come across a frozen lake. She remained on the roof for a moment, watching Jack in the distance with worry, studied him as he dived and dodged with the help of the wind.

Remembering his orders Scarlet headed towards the forest with haste,_ "You're such a coward,"_ her conscience spat with its arms crossed and eyes narrowed, but she ignored it. If she got involved she could make the problem more complicated than it already was.

Scarlet quickly grew frustrated, there was no frozen lake, just bare trees shivering in the wind and stray leaves from the last scraps of autumn. It wasn't until she flew above the forest did she find it from a bird's eye view.

She thought it odd that it was the only frozen object in the whole forest. Obviously there was some magic at play here, and Scarlet approached it with caution. She stood at the edge for a moment, contemplating whether or not it would be alright to touch. There was the risk of melting it, her being a summer spirit and all.

Scarlet decided against it, just in case. You could never be too careful, and so she sat patiently in MiM's pale light that lit up the whole forest. After quite some time her eyes began to droop, and she was just on the brink of meeting the darkness of sleep when she heard a sickening crunch, followed by a groan of the ice as it cracked.

She jolted awake, and gasped at the sight before her.

Jack laid spread eagled in the center of the lake that was riddled with white cracks. One tap of the ice could break it.

Scarlet hovered over to him, making sure to stay clear of the ice, and gently pulled him along by his hood to the shore leaving a bloody trail in their wake as red drained profusely from his shoulder and arm. It was a painfully slow process, as she was overly cautious regarding the minefield Jack lay upon. He was not nearly as heavy as she imagined, barely matching the weight of a feather. It was sensible though that he be light since the wind could pick him up with such ease.

"Please be alright, please…" she whispered as she pulled him along, her breath becoming erratic with panic.

As they reached the shore, Scarlet nearly fell on top of Jack as her concentration on her flight faltered. She managed a smooth landing and rushed to his side. Fear gripped her very core, despite what Jack had told her about being scared, she simply couldn't help it. He was so still, and hadn't uttered a single sound throughout the difficult process of bringing him to shore.

Her hands fluttered over him, hesitantly. She was unsure what would happen if they made contact. Would she burn him? Would he freeze her? What if she caused more damage than good? Scarlet wanted to help so badly, she couldn't leave him bleeding in the woods.

"Jack?" she asked, "Jack? Are you with me?"

Silence was her only answer and she felt herself begin to tremble.

"Jack please answer. If you can hear me send me a sign," she begged.

Her gaze couldn't stop darting to the gashes and the scratches on his face. All she saw were injuries. So many of them, and the more she observed the worse he seemed to be. Internally, Scarlet was having an intense mental battle on what possible consequences could happen if she touched him. She had had bad experiences in the past when it came to this, when she picked up the first flower of spring. It had dried up and crumbled into ash within seconds of contact with her skin. When she fell into a river one autumn and caused a massive fog as the once flowing water evaporated.

This was different though. Unlike the flower she would be able to hear his screams as his flesh blistered and burned beneath her fingertips.

But perhaps she could hold it back. After all, she could hide in trees well enough without burning too many leaves. It had taken practice but Scarlet had learned to hold back. The only way for her to find out if she could, would be to try and find out.

And try she did. After a few deep breaths to steady her racing heartbeat, she concentrated for a moment to think of the opposite of her season. Of _cold_. She focused on winter and how the wind would bite her face with its chilling presence. How the snowflakes would prick her skin with their frigid nipping. After a moment of this meditation she could feel herself cool down as gooseflesh ran along her exposed skin. She shivered for the first time, embracing the cold of the gentle wind as her old and worn habiliments did little to keep her warm.

Scarlet took a deep breath as she opened her eyes and gently gripped his hand.


	3. Help

She nearly jerked back from the freezing cold temperature of his skin numbing her fingertips, but her grip only tightened. Scarlet released the breath she was holding in and relaxed a bit, _"I didn't burn him,"_ she thought joyfully, and she couldn't stop the grin that tugged at her lips.

Too soon though had fear replaced any relieved feelings she had, and Scarlet felt her hope begin to waver. She held a hand above his lips and let out a worried whimper when she couldn't feel any movement of air, but _there_. She felt it. The lightest touch of his breath upon her finger tips soothed her frantically beating heart. Though it was uneven and weak, he was breathing nonetheless and that was good enough for her.

"Jack?" she asked softly, "Jack, if you can hear me squeeze my hand."

Her gaze shifted from his face to their intertwined fingers as she felt the light pressure of his weak grip. Scarlet smiled.

"Good, can you open your eyes for me?"

She watched him struggle as his eyelids twitched, and ever so slowly did they flutter open, revealing his blue irises clouded with pain. Gingerly she held his face, relishing the cool feeling of his cheek against her palm and gently turned his head to face her.

"Are you… alright?" he breathed.

Scarlet beamed, "I should be asking you that," she quoted him.

The smallest of smiles graced his lips before he inhaled sharply, a grimace contorting his facial features as he struggled against the sudden urge to cough. He writhed on the pile of leaves, their rustling crunches disturbing the dead silence of the forest. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

"What do I do? I've never dealt with things like this before!" Scarlet wailed, feeling helplessness and despair churn her insides like meat in a grinder. Even as a human she had absolutely no medical experience. Her skills were of cleaning and cooking as she had spent her mortal days serving a rich landlord.

"S-stop the bleeding… put pressure on my shoulder," he wheezed as his breath hitched.

With a trembling hand Scarlet hesitantly pushed upon his shoulder, her fingers turned slick with the contact and became saturated with blood like Jack's hoodie. There was little blue left of the old, worn piece of clothing. He winced and shut his eyes tightly, riding out the pain that accompanied her touch.

"No don't s-stop," he bit out through clenched teeth when she started to lighten the pressure.

"N-now what?"

"Is… Sandy out yet?" he murmured as his words began to slur.

"No, not for a few more minutes if I'm correct," she replied and looked up at MiM shining brightly. She observed him for a moment as her eyes followed his path through the sky. When he reached a certain height, gold light accompanied his silver rays.

She let out the breath that she'd been holding in, "Right on time."

Jack let out a strained chuckle which soon turned to a wet cough. Red tainted his blue lips, the colour standing out prominently against his pale skin.

"You're gonna… have to leave me… for… a bit to get Sandy," he said between pained gasps.

Scarlet's eyes widened, "But what if-"

"I'll be fine."

His eyes held determination, "You… can do this, I'm… not going anywhere."

She bit her lip as conflicted feelings battled each other within her. Scarlet didn't want to leave, but his best chance was to get help from the Guardians. Otherwise he would…

No. She wouldn't allow it, _"I've waited too long for that to happen."_

"S-staff…" the word was barely audible.

"I'm sorry?"

"Where's… my staff?"

Scarlet looked to the lake and saw it at the center in the blood splatter where Jack had landed. She quickly hovered over and plucked the enchanted piece of wood off the ice, noticing that it had absorbed the blood it had been lying in.

With as much grace as a new born chick, she landed clumsily in her haste to return to Jack's side and carefully placed his staff in his hand. Long fingers weakly gripped the familiar wood.

"I'll be right back, so don't die. Please," she added.

"I'm not planning on it," he rasped and smiled as reassuringly as he could.

With a nod, she took off, ascending as quickly as possible without losing her balance. Scarlet hoped with all her heart that Sandy wasn't far off. This was the most inopportune moment for a wild goose chase.

It took a combination of twisting around and flying in circles for her to finally pinpoint the epicenter of the golden sand. She saw him, the plump little guardian far off in the distance and she shot towards him without hesitation.

"Sandy!" her call was shrill with desperation as she sped towards him, "Sandy!"

As soon as she was within earshot he turned around on his cloud and grinned widely at the sight of her. He waved, but it wasn't until she was close enough for him to see the blood on her clothes and hands that he sobered instantly. His expression lost all mirth in an instant.

So many questions ran through his head, but he knew that it would be too difficult to ask her and so he simply gave her a question mark as she came to a wobbly stop before him.

"Sandy he's hurt," she wailed, the tears that Scarlet had tried to hold back spilled from her eyes, "Jack's hurt Sandy, you have to help me!"

His eyes widened at the news, and Sandy motioned for her to sit beside him.

"He's by his lake in the forest. Please hurry I'm not sure how much longer he can hold on."

The two soared through the sky on a large golden sting ray as Scarlet explained what had happened. Choked sobs interrupted her words from time to time but eventually she broke down in a fit of hiccups, distraught with the recent happenings.

As they flew over the lake Sandy's eyes stared dumbstruck at the morbid mess on the cracked ice. It was comparable to the most gory horror movies, but what lay at the end of the trail was what brought dread to his optimistic mind.

* * *

**Greetings dearest earthlings, if you are reading this I regret to say that you have met the end of this chapter. **

**If you have any opinions, suggestions, concerns, or problems let me know in a review. **

**Feedback is something I seem to be lacking with this particular story, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Nonetheless, I enjoy seeing my inbox full of emails from your favourites and follows so if you have time, a review would really make my day. I've kind of been refraining from asking for them because let's face it; half of you won't even bother to read this even though it's bolded. You know who you are, (I hate to admit but yeah, I'm like that too sometimes) and to those who decided to sit down and read every single word, kudos to you for being such a dedicated reader C:**

**Regarding updates, I'm not sure how often I'll post chapters but I'm hoping for at least a once a week type of schedule or something more frequent if possible, it'll depend since I want to make the chapters longer. I too am an avid reader of fanfictions and there's nothing I find more frustrating than seeing my inbox completely void of any updates, so bear with me on this one. It's a story in the making. Most of the plot is still developing in my mind as are 5 other stories (good god I need to sort them out before they all converge) so time between updates may vary. **

**To those of you inquiring about my other fanfictions, I regret to say that they are on hiatus and may be abandoned completely. I know I've disregarded them for a horrifically long time, but I honestly have no thoughts on those at the moment and I feel particularly guilty about getting hopes up for one of them as I updated it a couple months ago. If you have been one of my readers for some time now(and I thank you for your support), you'll probably notice how I've transitioned from goofy to sophisticated. I'm suspecting that this is the cause of my disinterest to continue what I started back before things changed.**

**But I digress, if you would like me to incorporate an idea of yours in this story I am willing to take it into account. Don't be shy to voice any thoughts you have in reviews. I'm also willing to take requests if you'd like me to write a one shot or something. **

**I think I've rambled enough… so I shall leave you all with this quote:**

"**Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night." – Edgar Allan Poe**

**~Sweet Nightmares**

**Oh and happy Valentine's day I suppose...**


	4. Rising King

Being awake hurt. Each breath sent agony through his chest as he felt the fractured bones of his ribcage shift with the movement. His face stung from the scratches, and something viscous was saturating his white locks. The bruises ached and a metallic smell filled the air.

Jack was tired, exhausted from the constant fighting over the past few weeks. The Guardians had enjoyed one year of peace before Nightmares returned to prowl within the shadows once more. 365 days was all it took for Pitch to regain his footing, and this time he was hell bent on striking more harshly than ever before.

Pitch managed to regain his control over the Nightmares despite the mutiny they committed. They did their duties justly, but he wanted something more. Nightmares could bring fear to the mind, which was perfect for a good scare, but Pitch wanted to target the soul, the very center of people's life forms. He wanted to shake their cores and release the worst in people, to corrupt them from the inside. Fear makes even the kindest of beings do the most horrific things as they're pushed to the rickety brink of sanity. They scrabble for purchase on a surface, for some form of solidity to ground themselves with. The instinct to fight for survival takes over as they rip each other apart over such a meagre thing.

Complete chaos, is what Pitch desired, and to do so he is forced take out the Guardians before they could foil his plans as they had done one year ago. Naturally he began by targeting their newest recruit, testing the limits of the winter spirit. Jack was a Guardian now, and he had the advantage of ancient magic as well as his believers that accompanied the title.

An endless trail of Nightmares sneaked within the town of Burgess, and at first Jack flourished with his duties as he blasted them with ice and snow, and cut through them with his staff. It was fun. It was easy, until they amassed in numbers and traveled in packs. The days grew short, and the nights became long as his season began to take over from autumn. Even with the cold climate to aid him in his task, Jack was soon overpowered by the Nightmares and he often called upon Sandy to help every other night.

It was that evening upon the roof of Jamie Bennett's house when he happened upon a wayward summer spirit stuck in the chimney. He was surprised that she was in Burgess despite the winter season that was setting in.

He found her fascinating. Her strawberry blonde hair curled loosely at the ends and fell over her shoulders to stop halfway down her back. Her face was round and her eyes seemed to hold the warmth of the sun in their amber depths. She wore capris that stopped mid-calf and a worn, sun-bleached shirt hung loosely on her shoulders over a tank top. All of which was covered in soot.

Jack observed her with mild amusement as she brushed herself off and looked up at him. He met her gaze as she gaped at the sight of him. The wonder in her eyes could have matched North's, full of electricity to fuel the many gears of her mind. When she spoke, Jack was taken aback by the softness of her voice. It was as smooth and clear as a glass of cold water on a hot summer day, soft as a warm breeze that caresses the cheek.

As he lay on a pile of leaves, Jack wished to hear that voice again. To soothe his ringing ears, reassure his worrying mind, and relax his tense muscles. He was stiff from trying to keep still. Any movement brought a horrific ache to his injuries.

Jack studied the stars with half opened eyes. The sparkle was gone from their depths replaced by a blank, glazed expression. His vision grew unfocused and blurry as the seconds ticked by. Eventually his eyelids grew too heavy to be kept open any longer, and they closed to meet a comforting darkness. A slight wheeze sounded with each trembling breath he took as he struggled to keep it even.

"Jack!"

The shout was high with desperation and horror, and its sudden intrusion made him jerk with surprise causing pain to flare through his limbs. A strangled groan escaped his lips and he clutched at his chest where the worst of his discomfort lay hidden beneath the skin.

"Jack I found him, I found Sandy," she said breathlessly.

With an enormous amount of effort, Jack managed to pry open his heavy eyelids to be met with shockingly dark vision. Even Sandy who glowed was reduced to a faint glimmer. No amount of blinking changed the state his eyes were in.

"I… can barely see y-you…"

"Jack you have to stay with us. Stay awake. Do you hear me? Awake Jack!" Scarlet commanded with a shaking voice.

_"Oh yes, do stay Jack…" _

He stiffened at this whisper. The voice so sly, so… soft, as if soothing a crying infant, brought chills down his spine. Yes, soft and _sinister_, dripping with the darkness of the Devil's soul, coated with the venom of evil. The voice of Pitch Black snaked its way through his mind to whisper only to him.

"P-pitch… Pitch!" Jack struggled to say, but only a faint sound made it to the ears of Scarlet and Sandy.

_"Now, now… no need to blow my cover."_

Some invisible force constricted around his throat and he reached towards his gullet in a feeble attempt to relieve himself of the pressure, but there was nothing there. No matter how much he clawed and scratched, there was nothing to remove, and yet the pressure increased ever so slowly. Jack gagged and coughed, fighting for breath. His back arched with his efforts, limbs flailed around in desperation.

"Jack breathe!"

The unexpected burning heat that accompanied a soft touch at his throat surprised him. Pitch's yelp of discomfort startled Jack and the pressure disappeared, his airways freed. A loud sizzle sounded as the frost melted at Scarlet's touch and she jerked her hand away with a frightened shriek, realizing that she had lost her cool during her breakdown upon Sandy's cloud.

"_This isn't the end… Jack…"_ Pitch crooned in his mind. The presence of the nightmare king seemed to dissipate from his mind, but Jack knew he was still present, still sneaking around in the shadows of the forest. He knew Pitch could never turn down fear, and the trio reeked with it.

"I-I'm so sorry-are you alright?" she stuttered, shock and fear mingled with her words. She studied his neck, her hand print bright red upon his pale skin.

Jack heard Scarlet scream as his stomach lurched along with hers. The rough leaves disappeared from beneath him, and were replaced with fine grains. The wind grew more unsettled and blew through his tousled hair. It took him a moment to realize Sandy had unexpectedly made a cloud as Jack grabbed a handful of the soft sand and let it fall through his fingers.

His hand grew too heavy and he let it fall limply to his side only to be held in someone's small grasp. Jack looked up through his dark vision and met Sandy's worried gaze.

His breathing, now wet and ragged, hitched in the back of his throat as a bout of coughing attacked his lungs. Immediately, Sandy released his hand as Jack turned on his side. Crimson dripped from his lips, his eyes closed tightly against the pain that raged through his body and the new searing burn around his throat.

Breathing had never been so difficult as Jack inhaled sharply, deeply. He ignored the biting pain in his chest as each breath jostled his ribs. No matter how deeply he breathed, there always seemed to be a lack of air. Rolling on his back to see if there would be any difference was a bad idea. His abused head reeled with a heavy attack of vertigo and he felt the darkness at the edge of his mind creep closer, threatening to take him.

Jack almost welcomed the darkness. He was tired, oh so tired. The darkness would take the pain away and let him sleep. It had been so long since he last dreamt of anything, and he almost smiled at the memories that surfaced from these thoughts.

Such luxuries were apparently not allowed as his moment of happiness scattered with the wave of agony that tightened in his chest and spread throughout his body. A weak cry escaped his lips, his hands held fistfuls of sand to stop his nails from digging into his palms.

Rain splashed against his face, and he looked up to see that they were tears from Scarlet as she sobbed over him, Jack Frost. The person who unknowingly brought her out from the pit of melancholy that held her like quicksand. Without him she would still be in that same dark corner.

"Don't die," she begged, her voice thick with emotion. Scarlet wanted so badly to hold him in her arms, to relieve him of his pain, but she would only cause him more. Her eyes flickered to the angry red burn at his neck and felt both rage and sorrow bubble up within her to spill from her eyes. Angry that she was stuck with such a curse and sad that there was nothing that could lift it, nothing that could take it away.

And so she kneeled beside him, her hands set firmly in her lap to stop them from fluttering over Jack. Tears fell at such a rate that the ones that didn't evaporate had a chance to fall onto the face of the broken figure before her. She watched him with wary eyes as Jack struggled for control. His face tight and pinched with pain. Scarlet fought against the urge to hold it, to gently rub her thumb across his check.

He looked up at her warily. He felt the guilt of causing her such sadness and worry.

"I'm sorry…" he breathed, voice hoarse.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," she replied with a cold chuckle, "If anyone needs to apologize it's me."

Confusion flitted across his face, "Why?"

"That burn on your throat didn't come from Sandy," she stated glumly as she glared down at her hands. _"Damn it all. So close but still so far away!"_

"Don't be…"

Scarlet's head snapped up to meet his eyes, lip trembling, figure shaking as the trauma of the nights events worked it's magic through her.

"I can't help you Jack," she sobbed, "I'm useless."

He narrowed his gaze at her, "You're n-not useless… Scarlet," he forced out, surprised at how much effort it took to utter one phrase.

Her eyes flickered to Sandy as he nodded in encouragement.

"Guardians will help… you I p-promise," Jack mumbled. His eyes grew tired and fear surged within Scarlet as she realized he was slipping, that she was losing him.

"Jack stay awake… No don't close your eyes! JACK!"

But she couldn't touch him, couldn't move him in any way to keep him from falling prey to the darkness that pounced on his soul. Scarlet felt the sobs tighten her chest with despair as her hands ghosted over him, longing to shake his shoulders.

And so Sandy intervened, gently tapping on the young guardians face, checking the pulse, doing everything that Scarlet couldn't. His brows furrowed with worry as he rested a hand on Jack's feverish brow and his cloud picked up speed heading north.

Pitch emerged from the darkness and watched as they flew away. Plastered on his face was a grin so wide it could split his head in two.

"Such _fun_ we'll be having," he remarked with a dark chuckle.

Another battle was fast approaching.


	5. Solution

"What happened?" North boomed at the sight of Jack. His wondrous eyes wide with worry.

Scarlet trembled before this great man, afraid of being elbowed in the face. She knew he would be large. Only a man of his stature could emanate such a laugh to echo for miles on Christmas Eve. Though Scarlet knew he would never harm her, she couldn't help but feel intimated as he was easily quadruple her size if not more, and she was taken aback by his tattoos as that was the last thing she expected on Father Christmas.

Contrary to popular belief, North was not as plump as most would think. He was a burly man with rippling muscles on his broad shoulders beneath his red shirt, thick fingers on large hands, and a beard on his face that could rival with a wizard's. He did not, however, go without a large belly that had settled just below his thick belt where he keeps all his extra cookies. That much of the stories were true, but with his heavy Russian accent and the lack of white fur on his coat, this Santa Claus contradicted the most common depictions.

Scarlet swallowed down her nervousness, "The Nightmares have grown stronger," she said with a shaking voice as they made their way quickly towards the Medical Wing of North's castle.

He growled something in Russian before barking at the two, "Keep going down the hall and bring him to first door on the left," as he headed towards the great globe.

He turned the handle and pushed down the button that started the aurora borealis to call on the other Guardians before waiting patiently for their arrival. Fortunately it did not take long for both Tooth and Bunny to arrive.

"What's the matter?" she questioned, her baby fairies fluttered around her like a swarm of rainbow bees.

"Yeah mate, where's the trouble?" Bunnymund asked as he rubbed his feet to warm them up.

"Is Jack," was all North said before rushing off to the Medical Wing.

"Has something happened?!" Tooth called as she flew behind him.

"Nightmares have gotten stronger."

At this her tail feathers twitched, heart sinking with dread, "Oh no," she whispered. His lack of elaboration worried her as she had no idea what to expect.

Her eyes briefly met with Bunny's and concern was mirrored in his gaze. The three Guardians sprinted down the hall and North barked orders in Russian at his Yetis and elves. They too bore anxiety on their features as the three Guardians rushed past them in a blur.

They burst through the door to be met with a most gruesome scene.

Jack lay on the table, still as stone aside from his heaving chest. His glazed eyes stared at the ceiling. Sandy floated warily over him as he tugged off the remains of the shredded blue cloth that was once a hoodie. Not that it was even blue anymore as it was covered with stains of crimson.

Immediately, the three Guardians rushed to his side to help Sandy. No one took notice of the weeping summer spirit in the corner. They were too engrossed by the problem on the table. Jack's wounds still oozed blood, and he wheezed out his discomfort as North pressed down on them with wads of gauze. With his hoodie now off, the black and purple bruises were clearly visible on his torso. They stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin which had turned three shades lighter from blood loss.

Bunnymund readied a needle and thread to stich up the deep punctures. Before he could start though, Sandy took the utensils from him and pointed to Jack's chest. With a nervous swallow, Bunny realized what he was being asked of.

"Do you know how many are broken?" he inquired, and his ears fell flat against his skull when he saw Sandy shake his head. He ran a paw over his face and took in a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"Jack? I'm going to see how many ribs you've broken, so this is going to hurt," he warned.

The winter spirit could do little but managed a nod, his unseeing eyes never leaving the ceiling.

As gently as he could, Bunnymund placed his paws lightly on Jack's sternum. Even this slight contact made Jack tense. As Bunny went through the seemingly slow process of locating broken ribs, Jack couldn't stop himself from letting out a grunt of pain when one was jostled even slightly.

The worst was yet to come though as Bunny grit his teeth and began to set them back into place. North held down Jack's right arm and Sandy weighed down the left as Tooth stopped his head from thrashing. It felt like an eternity before the excruciating pain decreased from its stabs to a dull ache and throb. Jack breathed shallow breaths, his eyes closed with exhaustion.

He lay there, limp as an overcooked noodle, and he didn't even flinch as North sanitized his wounds. Not even when Sandy took over with the needle and started sewing him back together. Jack's lack of reaction worried them. Either he was too tired to fight back, or he couldn't feel anymore.

"Jack, can you hear me?" North said loudly, perhaps raising his voice a bit too much as Jack winced.

"C-course I can," he choked out, "S-seeing though is another… question en-entirely."

"Can't you see us?" Tooth asked as she leaned over his face. In response, Jack struggled to shake his head. The slightest movement brought the world to a nauseating spin around him, and so she held it delicately in her hands, as if she was afraid of it shattering to pieces if she let go.

Behind her she could feel a burning glare on her back, and Tooth turned to see Scarlet staring at her with dangerously narrowed eyes. What was it in their depths that unsettled her so? Was it Hate? Anger? Or fear?

No… it was _jealousy_. The burning desire to be in her place holding Jack's face. She could feel the heat radiating from this girl who had curled herself into a ball in the corner. Tooth could see the steam from the tears, a result from the torment of the night.

"Bunny, take my place," she said in a way that sounded more like an order than a suggestion.

He obliged without question and replaced her spot as she made her way towards Scarlet. Tooth could see the wooden flooring blacken and char beneath the girl. White ashes dusted her feet, and red embers glowed through her toes. Tooth knelt down in front of her and reached out, only to be abruptly stopped.

"Don't touch me!" Scarlet cautioned as she cringed from Tooth's hand. Her grip around her knees tightened as she hugged them closer to her body.

"I won't hurt you-" Tooth began.

"I know that much Tooth Fairy," she whispered as a haunted shadow darkened her face, "I can't promise that I won't hurt you."

Tooth studied her as anguish mingled with the jealousy in the eyes of this girl.

"I can't control it," she sobbed.

"No, no, don't cry. It's alright we'll figure this out," Tooth soothed with her sweetest voice, "Can you tell me your spirit ethnicity? What's your name?"

Scarlet looked up warily, her expression full of doubt.

"Scarlet… summer spirit," she said softly in a trembling voice. Total defeat caused her shoulders to sag as she hung her head.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. Summer is a wonderful season and Scarlet is a beautiful name!"

"Not mine. With scorching droughts and sticky heat waves, mine are anything but wonderful."

Tooth let out a patient sigh, "And what makes you say that?"

"There's… there's too much inside and I can't p-push it away and everything I touch turns into ashes and I tried to help Jack but I-I _can't_ and I want to but all I can do is make things w-worse!" she sobbed, "I'm so useless…"

"You're wrong," Jack breathed from the table.

"He's right you know," Tooth added, "You're different for a reason Scarlet, we just don't know what it is yet."

"I don't want to be different… I want to be normal. To feel water without it evaporating, to hold a leaf without it burning," Scarlet confessed.

"We can help you," Bunny said as he looked at her over his shoulder, "You got too much power right? Then all we need is something you can store part of it in. Like Jack's staff."

Scarlet looked up to meet his green gaze with wide eyes. Of course it was Bunny who sparked the flame of hope within her.

"Is it possible?" she asked as she wiped away the salty remains of her evaporated tears.

"Well why not? North, don't ya have a book or two on it in your library?" Bunny questioned as he turned to the great man beside him.

"Wait, you… r-read?" Jack said surprised.

Taken aback by Jack's question Bunny snapped back, "Of course I read!"

"The heck… s-since when?"

"Since always! I have hobbies you know. I don't just sit around with eggs!"

"Well soooorry," Jack wheezed as he chuckled at the mental image of Bunnymund wearing spectacles while reading a book, "It's the last thing I'd… expect from a k-kangaroo."

Soon chuckles morphed into a full on coughing fit that rattled relentlessly through Jack's throat.

"Easy mate, easy, laugh later. Concentrate on breathing right now," Bunny soothed, "So don't ya North?" he asked again.

"One or two I think, will have to check to make sure," North said as he stroked his beard in thought.

"See? We can help you," Tooth added and flashed Scarlet a smile.

She calmed a bit at this and stood with Tooth.

"Bunny, can you and Sandy finish up here? I will bring Tooth and Scarlet to library," North asked.

"Yea, the worst is over an' done with. Just gotta wrap him up in some bandages," Bunny replied.

North nodded and opened the door, "After you ladies," he said with a bow.

Tooth giggled and led Scarlet out into the hallway as North followed, closing the door behind him. He then took the lead, walking with haste through the masses of yetis and elves, occasionally grumbling his irritation under his breath. After many twists and turns they reached a pair of large wooden doors. North shoved him open, revealing a vast room with shelves that touched the incredibly high ceilings. Each one was jam packed with books, thick and thin.

Scarlet gaped at the sight. Never in her life, spirit or human, had she ever seen a library such as this. She remembered being an avid reader before MiM changed her, and she fought the urge to run in and grab the nearest book. No doubt she would probably set fire to the entire room with her excitement.

"I believe I had them on this side," North said as he walked to the right side, scanning the rows with his eyes.

Tooth flew up to the higher shelves to save North the trouble of climbing up the ladder. She noticed though that Scarlet hadn't moved an inch since they had arrived at the door.

"Scarlet, won't you come in?" she asked.

Scarlet shook her head vigorously, "No I'd rather not. I could burn the place down," she replied with a nervous swallow.

"Aha!" North cried triumphantly, plucking out a book from the bottom shelf, "Fear not Scarlet! We shall make you a trinket to help you channel your powers. Just you wait!"


End file.
